Glass walls, blackened steel, and teak plywood cabinets let this mid-20th-century home in a Seattle suburb blend with its leafy surroundings. The new skylighted entry ends at the open kitchen/living area and a pivoting door to the garden.

The renovation of this vintage mid-century home bears Bohlin Cywinski Jackson's hallmark moves: the choreographed passages, the connection to the land, and the sense both of exuberance and calm.

The architects edited more than they added. A new entry—defined by a spine of ipe decking and playful circular skylights—ends in a living room pavilion and a pivoting door to the woodland garden beyond. “We think of our buildings a bit like designing a dance,” says Peter Q. Bohlin, FAIA. “You come in under those skylights and end in the heart of the building. As you approach the house, you don't know the garden is there.” Taller ceilings and a new fireplace make the space soar, and glass walls put the outdoors on constant display. The driveway approach was strengthened, too, with bright red elongated boxes (storage units) that mark the music studio/garage and house. Between the two, a linear concrete wall forms an entry court and screens the bedrooms from view.

“We like to do houses because they have a nice scale,” Bohlin says. “We like them to have a kind of ease and calm. It's critical to get those things right.” The judges agreed they'd gotten it right. “It's an excellent change,” said one. “They've stripped it down, grouped things in boxes, and really opened it up.”